Indie Archives - Save Game

There are some games that demand notice, though not necessarily reverence. Each of these games stood out above their peers in some way, whether from the buzz they generated, the acclaim they received, or some other factor that made them fit into a nice and neat list of four.

There were a few games that felt a little more like board or card games than any video-game specific type of game. Each had an element that harkened back to a more tactile or manual way of playing, but still brought the video game aspect in.

One of the most exciting things about the increase in the variety of indie gaming is that a lot of older play mechanics that’ve fallen by the wayside have the chance to come back. There were a few that had the mechanics of games (sometimes multiple) that we’ve played before, but were presented in new or interesting ways.

The home of the indie games at PAX Australia was the section known as PAX Rising – there were a few satellite games spread further afield, but for the most part, this was where they (and that elusive ‘it’ quality) were to be found.

The controller is at the ready. A logo renders on the screen while a voice reads out the name of the company. A splash of colour declares the title and an upbeat track that’s unmistakably gamey begins to play. Seconds after pressing start, you’re past the menu and watching a cutscene that gives all the premise that the game needs. A little later, you’re in. There’s enemies everywhere, flashing left and right, and all the while your heart pounds in your chest while you make sense of frantic action played out in vibrant colour. Everything moves at a relentless speed – […]

I Can’t Escape: Darkness is a horror game that feels like a forgotten entry from the time of Wizardry VII or Ultima Underworld, but lacks the depth associated with those games that might make it overcome its trangressions. It is not an RPG, instead playing more like a puzzle-based roguelike. As the successor to the newgrounds game I Can’t Escape, it’s an interesting case. The game is entertaining in some ways, but ultimately relies on death as its main teacher, lacks the polish or atmosphere of other indie horror, and feels like a relic of an bygone era rather than […]

In a case of get-it-while-you-can, Frictional Games are doing a sale on their content over on Steam right now. Starting on the 15th for… well, wherever they do the timezone, you can get 20% off a bunch of their range. That’s really not while you’re here though – yes, during this same period, Amnesia: Dark Descent is free. As in, it’s free right this second.

Australian indie developer Witch Beam is gearing up for the release of their rapid-fire twin-stick shooter, Assault Android Cactus, due out on September 23, to an initial PC slather of Windows, OSX and Linux. Console owners hoping for some android lovin’ will have to wait until next year, when it’ll become available to PS4, Vita and Wii U platforms, but it is on the way.

There has always been something magical for me about a game that takes to the waves, of rocking back and forth atop the endless blue, or on occasion speeding across it as fast as you can. It doesn’t necessarily turn a game into more than it might already be, but what it does is convey a sense of tranquility. The other type of moment that goes side-by-side with gliding across an ocean is the pour-down bliss of a golden sun, shimmering light across the wet expanse. Uppercut Games have blended both of these experiences together with Submerged.